ISC2 CC Security Operations Practice Question
An employee receives an email that appears to be from the IT department asking them to click a link and verify their password because of a mailbox upgrade. The link points to a domain that is misspelled but closely resembles the company's real domain. The employee reports it to the security team. What type of attack is this?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is overcomplicating the classification by focusing on the employee recipient, when the attack lacks the personalization of spear phishing and is simply a generic phishing email.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Phishing
The email impersonates IT, uses a deceptive domain, and requests credential verification, which are hallmarks of phishing. It is not targeted enough to be spear phishing or whaling, and it does not use voice communication. Phishing remains the most accurate classification for this generic credential-harvesting attempt.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Phishing
Why this is correct
This is a classic phishing attempt: a fraudulent email impersonating IT, using a look-alike domain to trick the recipient into revealing credentials. The generic nature and the urgency of a mailbox upgrade are common phishing tactics. Phishing is the broad category that accurately describes this untargeted credential-harvesting attack.
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Vishing
Why it's wrong here
Vishing is voice phishing conducted over the phone or voicemail, not via email. The scenario involves an email with a malicious link, so vishing is incorrect. The attack vector is clearly email-based, making phishing the appropriate category.
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Spear phishing
Why it's wrong here
Spear phishing is a targeted attack aimed at specific individuals or groups, often using personalized information. While this email is sent to an employee, it lacks the tailored, highly specific details and reconnaissance typically associated with spear phishing. The scenario describes a more generic attempt, so spear phishing is not the best fit.
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Whaling
Why it's wrong here
Whaling is a form of phishing specifically targeting high-profile executives such as CEOs or CFOs. The scenario describes an email sent to an unspecified employee, not a senior executive. Therefore, whaling does not apply here, even though the attack is phishing-related.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Key term
Phishing
Phishing is a type of cyber attack where criminals impersonate legitimate organizations or individuals to trick victims into revealing sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal data.
Key term
Spear phishing
Spear phishing is a targeted cyberattack in which a criminal sends a fraudulent email that appears to come from a trusted source, aiming to trick a specific person or organization into revealing sensitive data or installing malware.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISC2 exam blueprint
This CC practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CC exam.